Plastometrex is pleased to announce that The Timken Company, a global technology leader in engineered bearings and industrial motion, has adopted the PLX-HotStage. Having leveraged the PLX-Benchtop since 2023 to accelerate materials testing, Timken will now extend its use of Plastometrex capabilities to high-temperature applications—gaining rapid, previously inaccessible insights into material behaviour at elevated temperatures.
Timken first integrated Plastometrex’s PIP (Profilometry-based Indentation Plastometry) testing technology through the PLX-Benchtop, enabling faster and more cost-effective materials testing without the need for precisely machined test coupons. This helped Timken streamline process development and efficiently verify the properties of incoming metal goods.
Now, with the addition of the PLX-HotStage—a high-temperature testing module that seamlessly integrates with the PLX-Benchtop—Timken can apply these same benefits across a temperature range of up to 800°C.
"The PLX-Benchtop has delivered rapid insights into room-temperature mechanical properties, with over 1,100 tests completed since 2023,” said Patrick Anderson, senior materials engineering specialist at Timken. “With the PLX-HotStage, we can now extend these insights to critical high-temperature regimes, providing key customers with a deeper understanding of how materials behave in real-world operating conditions.”
The efficiency gains of the PLX-HotStage are largely due to the significant material savings achieved by removing the need for specially prepared samples. This, combined with a straightforward and streamlined testing procedure, enables Timken to complete high-temperature tests in just minutes—a fraction of the time required for traditional tensile testing. By gaining faster insights into material behaviour at elevated temperatures, Timken can rapidly optimise heat-treatment processes, maximising part performance and reducing R&D timelines.
Beyond speed and efficiency, the PLX-HotStage offers unique testing flexibility. The minimal test-piece size is just 3 mm x 10 mm, making the PLX-HotStage ideal for evaluating small or irregularly shaped specimens that would otherwise be difficult to test.
Dr. Mike Coto, CCO at Plastometrex, had this to add about the collaboration:
"Understanding material performance at elevated temperatures is critical for industries where reliability under extreme conditions is non-negotiable. With the PLX-HotStage, Timken now has the capability to gather high-temperature mechanical data faster and more comprehensively than ever before. We’re thrilled to support them in expanding their use of PIP testing and driving innovation in materials testing."
With the PLX-HotStage now in operation, Timken continues to push the boundaries of materials testing, ensuring its products meet the highest standards of performance and reliability—even under extreme conditions. This collaboration highlights the growing role of advanced mechanical testing in driving efficiency, innovation, and deeper material insights across industries.
Find out more about the PLX-HotStage: Click Here
